New York, Je Te Déteste
by Mo Chelly
Summary: Blair has a secret... And now he's back. My first fanfiction. Please R&R!
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I don't own anything from Gossip Girl. However, Stryker does belong to me.

Reviews, critiques and suggestions are welcome.

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"Thank you." Stryker said as the taxi driver opened the door for him. He stepped onto the street and pulled out his wallet. The taxi driver came back around and handed him his bags. Stryker paid the man and turned down the street. He had had the driver drop him off a few blocks away from his childhood home. He didn't want to be seen by anyone that would recognize him. Gossip Girl was always watching, after all. Stryker hadn't been home in almost a year. He wasn't even sure his family would even take him back. He knew that he deserved their forgiveness, but there was no telling that he would gain that forgiveness.

Stryker stopped and looked up at the building in front of him. He had been away much too long. He wasn't even sure that the bellman would allow him to go up to the penthouse. Stryker sighed and entered the building. This was a now or never moment. If he didn't take it, he would probably lose this chance forever. He turned when he saw the bellman stand. He knew he needed permission to enter the penthouse. The older man looked up at Stryker. His wrinkled eyes widened. Ok, maybe he did recognize Stryker.

"Mr. Stryker." The older man reached out a hand. "It has been a long time since you have been home."

Stryker shook the older man's hand. "It has." He agreed and released the hand. "How have you been, Winston?"

"I have been well, lad." Winston nodded. "I bet you are itching to get home and put those bags away. Go ahead." Winston hit a button and allowed Stryker to enter the elevator. "Nice seeing you, Mr. Stryker."

"Take it easy, Winston." Stryker said as the elevator doors closed. He sighed and put his head back on the wall. He wasn't sure how his family was going to react to this. He just needed to see them again. He was always running from his problems. He had run out of places to run to. He just wanted their forgiveness. He didn't even need to stay at home that long. He would be in and out in a flash if that was what they wanted. He watched the light flash on as he rose to the top level penthouse. He held his breath. This was going to be harder than he thought. The elevator abruptly stopped and the doors began to open. Stryker reached for the button to close the doors. He should probably go back to California without a word. No one would miss him if he left now.

Before he could reach the button, he glanced up. His chocolate brown eyes met with identical, feminine eyes. She looked at him in shock. "What are you doing here?"


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I don't own anything from Gossip Girl. However, Stryker does belong to me.

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Stryker dropped his hand from the button. He really wasn't expecting to see her. He thought she would be in school or away with Eleanor. The door began to close and Stryker reached out quickly to stop it. He didn't want to miss a moment of the awkward staring. She looked down at the floor, breaking the gaze. She cleared her throat; it was obvious that she wasn't sure what to say next. Maybe Stryker should say something first. Unfortunately, he could not think of anything comforting to say.

"Blair… I…" Stryker started. He wasn't sure what to say either. "I missed you."

She looked up at him again. This time, tears flooded her chocolate brown eyes. "Well, I didn't miss you." She wiped the tears from her cheeks and stormed off.

Stryker sighed. He ran his hand over the back of his neck. That didn't go as he had planned. He wondered if he should go after her. She would probably hate him even more if he did. The doors of the elevator began to close again. For a moment, Stryker thought it was best to just leave. But, he had nowhere to go. He certainly couldn't go back to California. He held an arm out to stop the doors from closing. When they reopened, Stryker stepped out into the foyer of his home. It looked the same as he had left it. Even the pink Hydrangeas on the center table by the stairs were the same.

Stryker stopped at the bottom of the staircase. He wanted to go up, but he couldn't make his legs move. They simply refused to move. He hated to see his sister in any kind of pain, emotional or physical. He hated that he was the cause of that pain. He should have just left when he had the chance. No, there was absolutely no turning back now. Stryker groaned and ascended the staircase. He was here to stay. Blair needed to accept that. He walked past Blair's room. Stryker leaned against her door. Inside, he could hear her muffled sobs. Hearing that made him feel worse. His heart tightened as he stepped away from the door. He continued down the hall until he got to his own bedroom. He opened the double doors.

Everything was as he had left it. He dropped his bags on the ground and closed the doors. He kicked off his shoes and fell face first onto the bed. Nothing was going his way. Stryker pulled himself up and looked around his former bedroom. His walls were a pale blue. The color was inspired by a pair of blue pumps his mother designed and named after him shortly after his tenth birthday. Stryker remembered that he and Blair were disappointed when Eleanor announced that for their birthday, she had named two pairs of shoes in her line after each of them. What a stupid gift for a ten year old boy. Eleanor was clueless when it came to her children. Well, she and Blair got along fine. Eleanor had trouble relating to her son.

Stryker rolled off his bed and approached the window. The dark brown drapes were covering the floor to ceiling windows. Stryker pulled the drapes open and allowed the sunlight to enter his bedroom. He gazed out the window. His view over looked Central Park. It was breath taking. He knew that some people would kill of a lifestyle like his own. Sometimes he wondered if he would kill to get away from this lifestyle. The posh parties, the fancy Sunday brunches, only the best schools and education; his life was very privileged. It is true, you know, money can't buy happiness. Stryker was living proof of that. If these people who longed for his so-called "privileged" life knew what really went on behind the closed doors of many Upper East Side penthouses, they would go running back to their mediocre lives. Sure, they had wealth and power, but, they were always being watched. People fed off of the scandal of the Upper East Side's elite. That's why websites like Manhattan's very own Gossip Girl were so frequently visited. Everyone knew each other's business because of this mystery columnist. Stryker had seen the drama that Gossip Girl had created over the years for Blair and her friends. Hell, he had even been the focal point of Gossip Girl's daily dish more than once.

Stryker looked down at his stomach when he heard a growl. The family didn't have a dog. That had to have been his stomach. Stryker remembered that he hadn't eaten a thing all day. Well, there was that frappachino in Houston. Did that really count as food? He wondered. When he determined that the specialty coffee had more calories than a Big Mac, he decided it was indeed a meal. Regardless, Stryker needed something to eat. He walked to his bedroom door and opened it. Stryker looked both ways down the hall. He didn't really want to be seen by anyone and he figured that Blair didn't want to see him either. He snuck past her closed doors and rushed downstairs. He kind of figured that Blair wouldn't be caught dead in the kitchen. Although, she was having an emotional day; maybe she would be in the kitchen. Stryker silently hoped that there was cookie dough in the refrigerator for her if she needed it.

Stryker sighed a sigh of relief when he entered the empty kitchen. It would have been awkward if he ran into his sister there. Stryker wondered if she had ever gotten over her… problem. He shook the thoughts from his mind. The pain really got to him. Stryker noticed a banana sitting on the counter. He picked the banana up and walked over to the pantry in search of peanut butter. He pulled the peanut butter off the shelf and jumped up on the counter. He pulled open a drawer and retrieved a spoon. Stryker opened the peanut butter and peeled the banana. As he spread the peanut butter over the banana, he wished that he could think of something to say to his sister. He wanted things to go back to the way that they once were. They used to be so close. Nate ruined that. If he hadn't broken her heart the way that he did, then Stryker would have never pulled… Stryker shook the thoughts from his mind. He didn't want to think of that. It only made him feel worse. Maybe coming back to New York would change him. Maybe things would be better this time. Stryker could only hope.


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I don't own anything from Gossip Girl. However, Stryker does belong to me.

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Stryker sat alone in the kitchen for nearly an hour. He didn't hear anyone moving in the penthouse at all during that hour. Maybe his mother fired all of the maids. Maybe Blair did. That was impossible. Both of the Waldorf women were incapable of surviving on their own. Stryker knew that first hand. Once, when Eleanor took them shopping, Stryker remembered having to carry all of the boxes and bags. He never went shopping with either of them again.

Stryker looked around the kitchen. He was beginning to get really bored sitting down in the kitchen by himself. He wished that Blair would get over her grudge and come down to talk to him. Didn't she want to know how California was? He stirred up all kinds of trouble and he wanted to share those stories with Blair just like he used to. Stryker glanced at the clock. It had only been two minutes since the last time he looked at it. He groaned. He was so bored. At this point, he wanted to talk to anyone. He didn't care. He just wished a human would come through those doors.

"Blair?" Stryker looked up when he heard an unfamiliar female voice in the penthouse. He knew that it wasn't one of the maids. There was no trace of a foreign accent. This mystery girl was American. He hopped off the counter and gently pushed open the kitchen door. Stryker needed to know who was in the penthouse. Through the small slit, he could see a young, petite blonde girl standing in the foyer. The girl was looking up the staircase. Stryker pushed his way through the kitchen door and started towards the girl. She looked over her shoulder at him and turned. She looked a little surprised to see him standing there. "Hello. Is. Blair. Home?" She spoke slowly, using one word at a time, as if he was foreign or retarded.

Stryker smirked. "She's sleeping." He lied. He didn't know this girl and there was no way that he was going to tell her that his sister was upstairs sobbing because of him. That would be a little awkward. "And, I speak perfect English." Ok, so he didn't know this girl, but Stryker never missed an opportunity to make fun of someone.

The mystery girl blushed and looked down at her shoes. "Oh, I'm sorry." She said. She bit her lower lip. "I… um, thought you were…" She started.

Stryker knew where she was going with this. He could tell that she was embarrassed by the situation. He didn't really want to make it worse. "Help?" He finished her sentence, saving her the embarrassment. The girl nodded, but refused to make eye contact with him again. "Stryker Waldorf." He stuck a hand out to her.

The girl looked at his hand and pushed a golden strand behind her ear. She reached out and took his hand. "Jenny Humphrey." She introduced. Her blue eyes met his chocolate ones.

She was beautiful and Stryker knew that. Sure, Blair had lots of beautiful friends. Stryker had noticed Serena several times, but this girl, this Jenny Humphrey, was extraordinarily beautiful. Stryker released her hand. "Well, Jenny, when Blair…" He started.

"Jenny?" Stryker cringed when he heard Blair's voice on the staircase behind him. He turned to look at her. She stomped down the stairs in her jet black Jimmy Choos. Stryker always wondered how she moved so quickly in the stilts that she wore nearly every day. "Get away from her, Stryker." She pushed Stryker away and took Jenny's arm. She looked at Jenny. "Sorry about him, Jenny. Come on, I have a couple of outfits that I want to show you." Blair flicked her brown hair over her shoulder and dragged Jenny away from her brother. Blair made sure to push Stryker once more as she passed.

Stryker watched his sister drag the mystery girl upstairs. He didn't really think that he deserved that. Blair needed to relax. It wasn't like she was going to steal Jenny away from Blair. He just wanted to know who it was that was calling for his sister. Jenny turned once more and made eye contact with Stryker. Her eyes looked apologetic. She shouldn't be apologizing to him. It should be Blair apologizing for her own actions. Stryker pathetically waved, then watched his sister and the girl disappear upstairs.


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: I don't own anything from Gossip Girl. However, Stryker does belong to me.

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After his sister stole the attention of the most beautiful girl he had ever met, Stryker decided it was best to retreat to his bedroom and wait of Jenny to leave. He was intrigued by her. He wanted to know more about her. He absent-mindedly read _Little Men_ as he waited. He had read that book so many times that he could probably recite it from memory. It had been almost two hours since Jenny had arrived. She should be going home any time now. He looked up excitedly when he heard Blair's bedroom door open. This was his chance. Stryker jumped up and crossed to his own door. He leaned an ear up to it. Outside his door, he could hear Blair and Jenny's voices. Unfortunately, he could not hear what they were saying. Stryker assumed that it was probably boring girl talk. When he didn't hear their voices anymore, Stryker opened his bedroom door and looked down the hall. It was deserted. Blair must have gone back in her bedroom. That meant that Jenny had gone downstairs and was probably on her way to her own home. This was Stryker's only chance to actually talk to Jenny.

Stryker crept past his sister's bedroom and rushed down the stairs. Just as he was walking past the hydrangeas, he heard someone walk into the room. He heard tapping on the black and white tile floors. He recognized that sound. It was the sound of $600 Jimmy Choo stilettos tapping against the floor, disapprovingly. Stryker turned slowly to find his sister standing behind him. She was wearing her sheer white robe and black satin lingerie with her Jimmy Choos. The lingerie covered her entire torso, but still, it was inappropriate to wear in front of your brother. Stryker looked away. "Oh, God, Blair, would it kill you to put on some clothes?"

Blair crossed her arms over her chest and cocked an eyebrow. "Where are you going?"

Stryker rolled his eyes. Blair was usually pretty controlling. He crossed his arms over his own chest. It was a standoff between the Waldorf siblings. "Why do you care?" He asked. "Just a few hours ago you didn't want me here."

"I don't care." Blair let out a small giggle. She looked amused by him. "I was just hoping that you won't be returning after you leave." Ouch. That one hit Stryker pretty hard. It really hurt him to hear his sister say something like that. There was really no convincing her that he deserved her forgiveness. Not today. Not ever. Stryker couldn't think of anything to say in response. He looked down at the floor, ashamed. "Hm. I guess that means that I win." With that, she turned and walked upstairs.

Stryker turned when he heard Blair's bedroom door close. Ok, so Blair had put a damper on him finding Jenny, but, he was still determined to find her. This just meant that he was going to have to run a little faster once he reached the street. He hit the elevator button and waited for the doors to open. Once they opened, he entered the elevator and pressed the lobby button. The elevator doors closed and the elevator began to go down to the lobby. Stryker nervously tapped his fingers against his corduroys. The elevator screeched to a halt and the doors opened. Stryker ran out of the elevator and stopped at the bellman's desk.

"Winston, did you see a blonde girl come down a little while ago?" Stryker asked the older man. "She's about 5'5, blue eyes, long hair. Her name is Jenny? Anything?"

"Of course, Mr. Stryker. Jenny Humphrey. She is a great girl. She is always so pleasant." Winston said. "She makes the best cookies I have ever had. They are oatmeal with little chocolate chips instead of raisons." Winston leaned in to Stryker. "Don't tell the wife about the chocolate chips. I'm not supposed to have the sugar." He gave Stryker a wink.

Normally, Stryker didn't mind Winston's pointless stories. Stryker knew that he was one of the only people in the entire building who actually took the time to talk to Winston. "I won't." Stryker promised. "Now, which way did Jenny go?" He pointed both ways down the street.

"Oh, that way, Mr. Stryker." Winston said and pointed to the right. Stryker tapped on the counter, thanking the old man and went running out of the building. He was going to have to run much faster in order to catch up with Jenny. He just hoped that Jenny didn't get on a subway or anything. If that was the case, he would never find her again. Well, until she came back to the penthouse.

Stryker weaved in and out of the foot traffic in search of the petite blonde. She shouldn't be that difficult to find. She was still in her Constance uniform when she left the Waldorf penthouse. Moments later, he saw a blonde girl in a plaid skirt walking in front of him. "Jenny?" He called. She didn't turn. Maybe she didn't hear him. Stryker was gaining on her. "Jenny!" This time, she turned at the sound of her name. She smiled and stopped. Stryker slowed to a stop. "Hello, Jenny Humphrey." He greeted and tried to catch his breath.

Jenny giggled and tried to hide her flushed cheeks. She nervously pushed a strand of hair behind her ear and looked up at him through her long lashes. "Hello, Stryker Waldorf."

Stryker smiled when he saw her blushing. He didn't realize the affect that he had on her. Sure, girls often swooned at the mere sight of Stryker, but, Jenny was just so darn cute when she blushed in front of him. He shoved his hands in the pockets of his corduroys. "So, um, you didn't say goodbye when you left." He bit down on his lower lip. He knew that drove the ladies crazy. It gave him that sort of sensitive edge that they looked for in a man.

"Well, you had vanished." Jenny said. "I couldn't find you anywhere."

"So, you _were_ looking for me?" Stryker asked, cocking an eyebrow. He knew that wasn't really what she meant, but he wanted to see if he could make her blush again. Oh, look, it worked. She blushed and a huge smile crept across her face. "Do you want to grab a cup of coffee, Jenny Humphrey?"

Jenny's blue eyes brightened at the question. It was like she had never been asked before. Stryker thought for a moment. She was young. Maybe she hadn't been asked out before. Her excitement faded quickly. "Oh…" She hesitated. "What about Blair? She didn't like us talking in the penthouse. What will she think of this?"

"Who cares?" Stryker shrugged. This wasn't the first time that he had done something Blair didn't like. He was sure that if Jenny asked, Blair would give her a laundry list of events where Stryker pissed her off. Number one on that list would be that event following the Shepard's wedding. Stryker shook his head to clear his thoughts. "She'll never know. Unless you tell her." When he said 'you', he tapped Jenny's nose.

Jenny crinkled her nose and pulled away shyly. "I won't tell." She promised, shaking her head. Stryker was kinda surprised that she said she wouldn't tell. Blair kept a close eye on her army of socialites. She must have had some sort of magical power that made everyone tell her the truth. Her 'power' reminded Stryker of Wonder Woman's lasso of truth. In the back of his mind he knew that it would only be a matter of time before Blair found out.

Stryker turned off his inner monologue and smiled at Jenny. He was going to have coffee with a beautiful woman. Blair should be the furthest thing from his mind. "Great." He said and began down the street in the same direction Jenny had been going. "So, tell me all about Jenny Humphrey." He casually glanced over at her and noticed her watching him closely. He smirked. She was smitten already.

Jenny glanced away from him when he looked at her. "Me?" She suddenly sounded nervous. Stryker wondered if she was hiding something like he was. "Well, what do you want to know?" They continued down the street for a moment in silence. Out of the corner of his eye, he watched her as she fished through her pockets. He was a little surprised when she pulled her cell phone out and looked at it. He couldn't believe that he lost her attention to a cell phone.

"Do you get Gossip Girl alerts on your cell phone?" He joked.

Jenny looked up at him and stopped walking. She pocketed the phone. "No, uh, that was my brother. He needs me to come home." She bit her lip. He could tell what was coming next. "I have to go. I'm going to have to take a rain check on the coffee." She looked up at him apologetically.

He looked down at the ground and back up to her. He nodded. "Oh, ok." He really didn't want her to leave him. He didn't want to go back to his penthouse where he would be ignored by Blair. But, he understood that she had to leave.

Jenny sighed. "Look, I have a cappuccino maker at my house. If you don't mind, you could come to my place." She smiled. Stryker could tell that she was hoping that he would say yes to that offer. "I know it's not as nice as any of the coffee shops down her, but I really made a mean cappuccino."

Stryker laughed and nodded. "I will take you up on that offer." Jenny's eyes brightened again. He was happy that she looked pleased with his answer. He didn't care what they did, he just wanted some time to get to know Jenny. He looked both ways down the street. "So, where do you live?"

"Brooklyn." Jenny answered and took his hand in hers. "This way." With that, she took off down the street, dragging Stryker close behind her.


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: I don't own anything from Gossip Girl. However, Stryker does belong to me.

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Brooklyn was nothing like Stryker pictured. He thought that it was a dirty Hell-hole that no one would step foot in. No one, except maybe a homeless person or a rat. Stryker was intrigued by this new side of New York that he was in. It was funky and artsy. He felt more at home in Brooklyn than he ever had in the Upper East Side. Stryker looked down at Jenny. He hadn't let go of her hand since she took it when they were in Manhattan.

She led him into a building that was painted bright red. The paint was chipping and several of the windows were lacking accurate shutters. Stryker smirked. He pictured Blair in his shoes. She would never be caught dead in a place like this. He was a little surprised that Jenny lived there. She acted so poised and refined. Though, she was so different from the other girls at Constance. Jenny smiled politely and opened the door to her loft. "Welcome." She said.

Stryker walked into the loft and looked around. The inside totally matched the outside of Brooklyn. Jenny's loft was just as artsy as the streets downstairs. She walked back into her bedroom. Stryker walked further into the loft and looked around in awe. He loved it. One of the walls was covered in old records. Lincoln Hawk records, to be exact. Stryker's eyes widened. He remembered that band. They had a few songs that Stryker knew. Actually, Stryker knew more than one of their songs. One of his big brothers at St. Jude's snuck him into a Lincoln Hawk concert when he was ten. They had been one of his favorite bands ever since. Stryker turned around when he heard Jenny walk into the living room. "You know, I have never been to Brooklyn before." He watched her walk into the kitchen. He took a seat at the counter. "Actually, I thought that it was miles and miles away from Manhattan."

"Most of you do." Jenny said and pulled milk out of the refrigerator. She grimaced, realizing what she said. "I'm sorry."

Stryker shrugged. "For what?"

"Most of _you_ do." Jenny repeated and emphasized her mistake. "That was really awful of me."

"Not awful." Stryker shook his head. "Accurate." She smiled and turned to the coffee machine. "I mean, really, can you imagine Blair here? She would be stomping around in her Prada pumps with a disgusted look on her face and commenting about the 'stench of poverty.'" He put quotes around the phrase. Jenny let out a laugh and turned back to him.

"Jenny? Who's your friend?" Stryker turned when he heard a male voice behind him. There was a young brunette standing there. He went to St. Jude's. That was obvious for two reasons. One, he was still wearing his uniform and two, Stryker thought he recognized him. The boy raised his arms to his sister and shrugged. It was obvious that he was waiting for someone to answer him. Behind Jenny's brother, well, her assumed brother, a young blonde girl walked into the living room. Stryker knew this girl. Her eyes widened and she raised her hands to her lips.

"Oh my God!" She shrieked. "Stryker?!" She squealed and rushed over to where Stryker was seated. "Oh! It's so good to see you! Where the Hell have you been?" She threw her arms around his neck and kissed his cheek. "Gosh, it's been too long." She released him and pushed a strand of his brown hair behind his ear.

"It's nice to see you, too, Serena." Stryker forced a smile. He wasn't anticipating seeing anyone he knew in Brooklyn. Especially resident bad girl Serena Van der Woodsen. "My, this is a surprise." Serena turned when the young man cleared his throat. He waved to them. Serena pushed herself off of Stryker and turned back to the boy.

She straightened her dress and looked at the guy. He raised his eyebrows. "Um, Dan Humphrey, this is Stryker Waldorf." She looked at Stryker. "Stryker Waldorf, this is my boyfriend, Dan Humphrey." She walked over to him and wrapped an arm around his waist.

Dan looked at Serena, quizzically and then back at Stryker. "I'm sorry, did you say Waldorf?" His brow furrowed as if he was in deep thought. "As in, Blair Waldorf?"

Serena nodded and looked at Stryker. "Yeah, Stryker is Blair's twin brother." Dan turned to Stryker. He looked really shocked.

Stryker jumped when he heard Jenny drop a cup behind him. He turned to look at him. "Twin?" She asked and continued to stare, doe-eyed, at him. "I… I didn't know that she had a twin." She looked down at the counter and ran her long fingers over it. "I didn't even know she had a sibling."

"You didn't tell her?" Serena whispered across the room. Stryker knew she was trying to be discreet, but the whole room heard her.

"I guess it slipped my mind." Stryker shrugged. "Um, Blair doesn't really like to talk about me that much. I have been away in California. I go to a boarding school out there." He looked over his shoulder at Jenny. She looked away from him. Stryker felt like he screwed something up… again.

"But, you went to St. Jude's before? Right?" Dan inquired. "I mean, Blair goes to Constance." He was really trying to put the pieces together.

Stryker rolled his eyes. He didn't have the fondest memories of St. Jude's. Sure, it was fine in the beginning, but after his falling out with Nate and Chuck, Stryker's social status plummeted. "Yeah, I guess I tend to blend in." He shrugged. "You can relate, can't you, Lonely Boy?" He watched Dan cringe at the name that Gossip Girl had given him. He stood. "Um, now that I have made this incredibly awkward, I think that I should go." He looked at Jenny. "Rain check on the coffee?" She didn't look at him. He nodded. That must be her answer. "It was nice meeting you, Dan. Bye, Serena…" Stryker backed to the door. "Jenny…" He opened the door and let himself out. Things were getting weird around here. Who would have thought that Blair's BFF would be found in Jenny Humphrey's Brooklyn apartment? Stryker was beginning to find it harder living in New York than he remembered.


	6. Chapter 6

Disclaimer: I don't own anything from Gossip Girl. However, Stryker does belong to me.

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Stryker walked out of the red Brooklyn building and looked back at it. He hated that he had to leave like that, but it was just too much for him to handle. Seeing Serena was hard for him to do. He had no idea that she was back in town. She left for a boarding school shortly before he did. Blair was devastated when that happened. She lost her best friend and her brother in the same two week period. He was simply shocked that she was back in town.

It was a long walk to Manhattan from Brooklyn. Much longer than he remembered. When he was with Jenny, the walk seemed much shorter. Because Stryker had never been to that side of New York before, Stryker stepped onto the street and hailed a cab. He watched a small yellow cab pull over. Stryker smiled and opened the cab door. "Thanks." He said and leaned into the up to the cab driver. "Uh, Fifth Avenue, please."

The cabbie nodded and started down the street. Stryker sat back and let out a sigh. He wished that he could go back to California. That was almost impossible at this point. He was in too deep now. He couldn't go anywhere until Eleanor came back and fixed things. Stryker looked out the window. He was already passing through the Upper East Side. He was shocked that he was back in Manhattan already. The cab drove past Nate's townhouse. Stryker looked away. It was only a matter of time before Nate found out that Stryker was in town.

"Excuse me…" Stryker looked up when the cabbie spoke. "We are on Fifth Avenue. Where would you like me to stop?"

Stryker looked out the window. He was pretty close to the penthouse. He certainly didn't need the driver to take him all the way to his doorstep. "This is fine." He fished through his pocket and pulled his Louis Vuitton wallet out. The driver pulled over and he looked at the cab fare on the dashboard. He handed the man a 10 dollar bill. "Keep the change." He said and got out of the cab. He was really surprised that the fare was only $4.

Stryker walked into the Fifth Avenue building and looked up at Winston. The old man smiled in return and put the newspaper aside. "Mr. Stryker, did you find Ms. Jenny?" He asked.

Stryker leaned his elbows against the bellman's desk. He nodded. "I did. I asked her to get some coffee with me." Winston's eye's brightened. "She said yes and we were on our way there when her brother texted and told her to come home. She suggested we reschedule, but I gave her a little pout, like this." He imitated the face that he made. "And then, she asked me to go back to her place for a coffee. I guess her family has a cappuccino machine or something. So, I walked all the way to Brooklyn with her and ran into none other than Serena Van der Woodsen. I bailed after that and I didn't even get a cup of coffee." He put his head on his arms.

"Poor lad." Winston clicked his tongue. "Ms. Jenny comes around a lot Mr. Stryker. You will see her again."

Stryker lifted his head up and sighed. "I sure hope so." He looked over at the elevator. "I should probably go back upstairs." He tapped on the desk twice. "Take care." Winston gave a mock salute and allowed Stryker to enter the elevator. This elevator ride was noticeably shorter than the ride before it. The doors opened and Stryker entered the penthouse. He looked around cautiously for Blair. He really didn't want to deal with her third degree. The coast was clear. He started to walk towards the stairs.

"Where have you been?" Stryker cringed when he heard Blair's voice in the living room to his right. He turned on a heel and looked at her. She smirked and cocked her head to one side in a classic Blair- fashion way.

"Out." He simply answered with a shrug. "You didn't tell me that Serena was back in town." He said casually and mimicked her pose.

Blair's head shot up and she stared at her brother dead in the eye. "You went to Brooklyn?!" Her voice deepened when she asked. "You went with Jenny? I told you to stay away from her."

Stryker rolled his chocolate brown eyes. "Did you really expect me to listen to you?" He laughed. Blair must be out of her mind if she actually believed that. He looked down at the tile ground. "You know, she left without a word and you forgave her. I don't get it." He put his arms out as if he was surrendering.

"Serena didn't hold a knife to my boyfriend's neck." Blair sneered.

"Yeah, well I didn't have sex with your boyfriend, either." The words came out before Stryker could stop them. He had gone an entire year without telling her what he saw the night of the Shepard's wedding and now, he just ruined that. He watched Blair's eyes soften and flood with tears.

"You knew?" Her voice began to quiver. He looked down at the ground. He couldn't answer her. It hurt him to see her cry. She took a step towards him. "You knew and you didn't tell me?"

"I didn't want to hurt you." He started. He could only manage a whisper. He cleared his throat. "You loved Nate. I couldn't believe he did that to you." He was beginning to get angry. "Dishonor you like that!" He screamed. Stryker looked down and then looked back up at his sister. He tried to calm down for her. "He had been my friend forever. I just didn't know what to do."

"If he was such a good friend of yours, then why did you threaten him with a knife?" Blair wiped tears from her cheeks.

"Blair, think about it." Stryker said. "Why else would I do that?"

"You were protecting me." She said. Stryker wasn't sure if that was a question or a statement. She bit her lower lip and looked away from her twin. She couldn't look at him. This was too much to handle right now. Stryker felt terrible. He didn't want to tell her.

"He was bragging, B. At brunch the following day. I heard him telling Chuck." He looked at her. "I… I lost it and you know what happened." He put his hands in his pockets. It was a nervous tick for him. He didn't know what else to do.

Blair looked up at him. Tears were streaming down her cheeks. "I am so sorry, Stryker!"She sobbed and threw her arms around her brother. Stryker was a little surprised by this. He was happy she didn't punch him or something. He wrapped his own arms around her petite body and rested his cheek on her head. "I didn't know!"

"Shh, Blair, I know." He began to rub circles on her back. He was happy that they understood each other now. She continued to sob into his black vest. He tightened his grip around her. He didn't have any comforting words for her. The only thing he could do was hug her.


	7. Chapter 7

Disclaimer: I don't own anything from Gossip Girl. However, Stryker does belong to me.

Thank you so much for the reviews! Enjoy!

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Stryker held Blair for nearly ten minutes before she pulled away and wiped the tears from her cheeks. She rushed into the kitchen and Stryker followed. He didn't want her to binge. Dorota, the Waldorf's housekeeper had made dinner for the twins. She had made Stryker's favorite, pot roast with baked potatoes. Blair stuffed a roll into her mouth as Dorota pushed a plate towards Stryker. "Thank you." He said and picked up the fork. Stryker glanced over at his sister. Her chocolate eyes were red and puffy. He felt so sorry for her. "Hey, B?" Blair looked up at him. Her eyebrows rose. "Are you ok?"

She swallowed the roll and nodded. "Of course." She forced a smile and looked at Dorota, then her brother. "Don't I look ok?"

"You're eating a little fast." Stryker said. "Why don't you sit down… chew slowly. Don't inhale it."

Blair rolled her eyes and sat down in a barstool next to Stryker. Dorota smiled and pushed a plate over to her. "Thank you." She smiled and looked down at the plate. "Dorota, will you excuse us?"

"Yes Miss Blair." Dorota nodded and rushed out of the room. Stryker watched his sister down the rest of the roll and pretended to be more interested in the pot roast on his own plate. He knew that Blair hated when people watched her eat. "Stryker?" He turned and looked at her. "Why didn't you tell anyone? Mom and Dad would have kept you here had they known… they would have never sent you away."

"Oh, you know as well as I do that they would have sent me away." Stryker said. "Mom doesn't know what to do with me. That's why I partied and got away with it."

"Regardless…" Blair shook her brunette locks off of her shoulders. "Why didn't you just tell them? They thought that you were crazy."

"Again, Blair… I wanted to protect you and your feelings." Stryker said and placed his hand on hers.

A smile crept across Blair's face. He could feel a change in subject coming on. She always had that twinkle in her eye. "Are you going to vacation in France with Daddy this year?" She asked excitedly.

Stryker grimaced. "I'm not sure…"

Blair pouted. "Why not?" She cocked her head to one side.

"I don't know how I feel about the situation, Blair." Stryker shook the stray brown hair from his eyes.

"What? Roman?" Blair asked. "He's really nice. I think that you would like him a lot." Blair looked hopeful again. A smile spread across her face.

"No, Blair, I'm just not sure if I have forgiven Dad for what he did. You know, leaving us… and Mom… for a guy." Stryker explained. He was completely supportive of their lifestyle. He just wished that it wasn't his father who chose to live that lifestyle.

"It's really not that bad once you get used to it. Maybe Roman can take you shopping or something." Blair offered. She made eye contact with her twin. He looked shocked. "Ok, shopping isn't your thing, I know. I'm just trying to be helpful."

Stryker shook his head and shoved another forkful of roast into his mouth. He watched Blair cautiously out of the corner of his eye. He knew he was going to have to occupy her after dinner. Stryker turned and looked at his sister. "Hey, B?" She looked over at him. Her eyebrows rose. "Want to watch a movie after dinner? I'll let you pick. It's been a while since I have seen _Breakfast at Tiffany's_." Bingo. She loved at movie. Stryker knew that and he planned on abusing it. Even though he hated the movie and had seen it soon many times he could recite the lines, he knew that it would keep Blair occupied long enough that her body would digest the food she was eating.

Blair's brown eyes sparkled. "You hate that movie!" She sounded too excited about that fact. It seemed like she was enjoying the thought of tormenting her brother rather than watching her favorite movie with him.

Stryker's head bobbed back and forth. "Yeah… but, you like it." He mumbled. He glanced at her. She looked really happy. He loved to see her happy. "Don't get all mushy on me. You know I hate that." He smirked.

Blair turned away from him and cut a potato in half on her plate. "You still haven't answered me." She said and looked at him out of the corner of her eye. She turned and glanced at him as she chewed. He could feel her eyes on him. "I'd really like it if you came."

Stryker looked up when she heard the tone of his twin's voice. He rolled his chocolate brown eyes. "No! No!" He dropped his fork on his plate. "Not the voice! And, and, the puppy-dog eyes!" He whined. "You know I can't resist!"

Blair's eyes widened and she grabbed her brother's arm. "Is that a 'yes'?!" She jumped off her stool excitedly. "Oh, we are going to have a blast! I'm going to call Daddy!" She kissed her brother's cheek and let out a squeal. She released her death grip on his arm. "I am so excited!" She clapped her hands with enthusiasm.

Stryker watched his sister run out of the kitchen and listened as her Jimmy Choos ascended the staircase. He shook his head. "Guess this means I need to brush up on my French." He mumbled as he rose from the stool and walked out of the kitchen to listen in on her phone conversation with their father.


	8. Chapter 8

Disclaimer: I don't own anything from Gossip Girl. However, Stryker does belong to me.

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After calling their father, who was absolutely floored that both of his children would be visiting him in just a few months, Blair did choose to torture her brother with her favorite movie. Stryker really didn't mind watching the movie. But, he did mind that she wanted him to recite George Peppard's lines.

"Oh, come on, Stryker. You know them. Do it." She begged.

Stryker ended up reciting most of the lines for her. He slipped up a few times, though. Blair didn't appear to mind that he wasn't perfect. She knew that it had been more than a year since the last time he had seen that movie. She was simply pleased that he was being such a good sport about it.

After the closing credits, Dorota woke the sleeping Waldorf twins for bed. She had been sleeping for a few hours and woke up to make them go up to bed. Stryker bid goodnight to his sister and their housemaid and closed the door to his bedroom. He smiled as he undressed and went through all of his pre-bedtime rituals. He was actually pleased that he was bonding with Blair. He actually felt forgiven now. It seemed like things were slowly returning to the way that they were before he left for California. Before Nate ruined his relationship with _all_ of his family members.

Stryker fell back on his bed and pulled the plush satin sheets up to his chin. He glanced around the dark room. The thought of Nate ruining his relationship with his family reminded him of his mother. Eleanor would be there in a matter of days. He had no idea what he was going to tell her. Surely she would be infuriated with him. He needed the help from her. He felt pathetic that he had to run home to Mommy when he had a problem. Stryker shook his head to clear his thoughts. He didn't want to stress about this. His thoughts shifted to the euphoric feeling he had when he thought of mending his relationship with Blair.

The next thing Stryker knew, it was morning. He rolled over to face the windows. He could see the sunlight trying to get through the lush curtains. He glanced up at his night stand. The Tiffany and Co. table clock read 10:37 am. Blair rarely slept past 10 on the weekends. He was shocked that she hadn't burst into his room to wake him yet. Stryker didn't think anything more about it and threw the sheets off of his body. He knew that if Blair was still sleeping, it wouldn't be for long. He strolled into the shower and turned the lights on. He knew he needed to get a shower in before Blair woke up. Knowing her, she already had a full day of events planned out for them. Stryker imagined feeding ducks in Central Park was on top of that list. No one knew Blair like he did.

After his shower, Stryker wrapped a towel around his waist and walked into his bedroom. On his bed, there was a familiar pink bakery box waiting to be opened. Stryker smiled and opened the box. Inside were all of his favorite goodies. Everything from muffins, scones and bagels were in there. Stryker closed the box and walked over to his door. He opened the door and peeked out into the hallway. "Thanks, B!" He called. He closed the door and dropped the towel on the floor. He already had boxers on, but he needed other essential clothing, too. He walked over to his closet and shifted through his clothes. He didn't realize how many items of clothing he actually owned. He was even a little surprised to see some of the old St. Jude's uniforms hanging in the closet. Stryker decided on a pair of khaki chinos from J. Crew and a navy argyle polo from Express. He knew Blair would have a fit if she knew he was mixing his brands, but he was willing to take that chance. Maybe she wouldn't notice.

He laid the shirt out on the bed and started to put his legs into the pants. He turned when he heard his bedroom door opening. Panicked, he jumped into the pants and buttoned them quickly. He didn't want Blair to see him in his boxers. Stryker glanced over his shoulder to greet whoever had entered the room without knocking. To his utter surprise, Nate Archibald was standing in the doorway. "Ever heard of knocking?" He inquired. "Or were you hoping to see me naked?"

"Save it." Nate snapped.

"Oh, someone's touchy." Stryker taunted and pulled the polo over his head. He glared at Nate as he brushed his long bangs out of his eyes. Stryker really knew how to push Nate's buttons. It was something that he thoroughly enjoyed. He remembered tag- teaming Nate with Chuck several times when the three were all friends. Back then, they did it out of fun. Now, Stryker was pissing Nate off on purpose.

"What the Hell are you doing here?" Nate demanded. He face was a statue, frozen in fury. His hands were in his pockets as if he was trying to restrain himself. He looked like he wanted to hit Stryker.

"I live here." Stryker sneered and crossed his arms over his chest. Nate advanced towards Stryker quickly. He stopped and got into Stryker's face. Instead of retreating like Nate would have liked, Stryker stood his ground; his nose nearly touching Nate's.

"What are you doing back in New York? I know Eleanor would never allow this." Nate spat.

"Eleanor is in Paris. When the cat's away, the mice come out to play." Stryker replied. "You of all people should know that."

Nate lunged towards Stryker as if he was going to throw a punch. "Blair has forgiven me." He gritted his teeth.

"You don't deserve it." Stryker spat. "Let it be known that if you ever…" Stryker poked Nate in the chest to emphasize his statement. "Break my sister's heart again, there will be retributions."

"Is that a threat?" Nate asked, his face still filled with fury.

Stryker shook his head. "A promise. And, next time, I won't grab a butter knife." He looked Nate up and down. "You're pathetic."

"What's going on?" The boys quickly moved away from each other when they heard Blair's voice.

Nate gave Stryker one last cold look and turned to his girlfriend. "Nothing, babe, we're just catching up." Nate forced a smile and walked over to her. He wrapped an arm around Blair's waist and kissed her cheek.

She smiled. "Ok." Blair looked at her brother. "We're going to lunch. Do you want to come?"

Stryker watched Nate roll his eyes. That reaction alone tempted Stryker into going with them. He made eye contact with Blair. "No, thanks. I'm not hungry." He politely declined.

Blair pouted. "Do you want me to bring you anything?"

Stryker smiled. She loved to baby him. "No, it's fine, really. Thank you though. Have a good time."

"Ok, I guess I will see you later." Blair said and began to walk away. "Bye."

"Bye Blair." Stryker called when his sister disappeared. Nate stood there glaring at him for a moment and turned to follow Blair. "Bye Nate! Nice 'catching up'!" Stryker taunted one last time as Nate and Blair left him alone in the penthouse.


	9. Chapter 9

Disclaimer: I don't own anything from Gossip Girl. However, Stryker does belong to me.

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The penthouse was lonely when no one was around. Even Dorota was out of the house. Stryker thought maybe he should have gone out to lunch with Blair and Nate. He knew that would have infuriated Nate, which may or may not have been a good thing. Sure, Stryker loved to annoy his former best friend, but things were just getting better with Blair and he really didn't want to ruin that.

Stryker flipped channels in his bedroom for nearly an hour before boredom forced him into the living room. He grabbed his old, worn copy of _Little Men _and headed downstairs. One good thing about having the house to himself was he wouldn't be bothered by anybody while he read. If someone was home, he knew that the moment he began reading, they would find some reason to annoy him. Stryker fell into the plush couch that faced the floor to ceiling windows. Stryker always felt that natural light was better for reading than artificial light. He opened the book and skimmed the page for the last paragraph the read. Stryker's ears perked up when he heard the elevator door chime. He groaned. That was the worst noise in the world for him right now. That ring meant that someone was coming into the penthouse to bother him, just like they always did when he tried to read. Stryker looked over his shoulder to find none other than Jenny Humphrey, standing in the foyer. She made eye contact with him and her face brightened.

Stryker threw the book aside. Who wanted to read about little boys when there was a hot girl standing in the middle of your foyer? He smiled. "Why, hello, Jenny." He flashed her a million dollar smile. He swore he saw her knees buckle. "And, to what do I owe this pleasure?"

"Well, um, I actually came to see you." Jenny admitted as she bit her lower lip. Stryker tried to hide his smile. He knew he had won her heart the moment he spoke to her less than two days before.

"What can I do for you, Miss Humphrey?" Stryker asked.

"We never had that coffee. I was just wondering if you were interested in going now." Jenny glanced down at her shoes, trying to hide her flushed cheeks.

Stryker looked around the penthouse. "You have perfect timing. No one is here and I was a little bored anyway." He advanced towards her. "I know the perfect place." She turned around and he placed a hand on the small of her back. Just as they started towards the elevator, Stryker heard that annoying chime again. He rolled his eyes. The last thing he needed was for Blair and Nate to come back. That would be kind of awkward to explain.

The elevator doors opened and to Stryker's utter shock, his former best friend, Chuck stood on the other side. He smirked his classic I'm-Chuck-Bass-and-I'm-better-than-you smirk when he made eye contact with Stryker. "Well, I had to see it to believe it." He walked towards Jenny and Stryker. "Welcome back." His voice was velvet.

"Thanks, Chuck." Stryker glanced at Jenny. "So, this place, it's called Viand Coffee Shop. It's on Madison Avenue. I will meet you there." Jenny looked up at him. He could tell she was a little hurt that he was dumping on her to talk to Chuck. "10 minutes, I promise." She nodded and glared at Chuck. Stryker caught that look. It was as if she was trying to kill him with that look. She walked into the elevator and bid a silent goodbye to Stryker as the doors closed. Chuck turned back to Stryker after watching Jenny leave the penthouse. Stryker's face hardened. "What do you want, Chuck?"

"Nate told me that you were here." Chuck said and walked into the living room. "I didn't believe it, so, I decided to come see it for myself. And, here you are." He swirled the brandy and watched it spin. Opening the cap, he poured himself a glass and looked up at Stryker. "For old time's sake?" He gestured towards an empty glass.

"It's hardly noon, Chuck. Lay off the brandy." Stryker spat and crossed his arms over his chest.

Chuck sipped the brandy. "How did you get Jenny Humphrey in your apartment? Is she working for Blair or something?"

"Blair is out with Nate." Stryker said. "Jenny came to see me. She and I were going to get some coffee before you came in."

"I am surprised that Blair let you come back." Chuck mused and glanced around the apartment. "She was so upset when you left." He glanced at Stryker who grimaced when he thought of the emotional pain he put his sister through. "She didn't know that you were coming, did she?"

"Well, I didn't send an announcement to Gossip Girl, or anything." Stryker grumbled. "Did you come here just to torture me, or do you actually want something? I am late for a date, after all."

"A date?" Chuck laughed and downed the rest of his drink. "With Jenny Humphrey? Please, she's too busy being one of your sister's minions to date. She still plays with dolls for God's sake."

"She's young." Stryker agreed. "But, she's cute. I'm going for it."

Chuck smirked. "Guess nothing has changed with you, Stryker. You always loved to take the innocence away from little girls."

"That makes me sound like a pedophile or something." Stryker said. "And, as I recall, I didn't take the innocence away from _little_ girls. Penelope was far from little." He smirked as he recalled the physical form of his former girlfriend and one of Blair's best friends.

Chuck laughed. "If you want to catch up, gimme a call."

"I figured Nate would have a tight leash on you." Stryker sneered.

Chuck pressed the call button for the elevator. "Would you like to share an elevator?"

Stryker thought for a moment. Chuck was actually being cordial. Shockingly. He answered with a nod. He walked over and stood next to his former chum. He glanced at Chuck and walked into the elevator when the doors opened. The duo turned around to face the elevator doors as they came to a close. "I see you're still wearing a lot of purple." Stryker added as the elevator doors closed and they began their descent.


	10. Chapter 10

Sorry it has been so long since I have updated my story. Please R&R!

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Stryker shook his head after watching Chuck get into the limo. This trip to New York was getting weirder and weirder. Chuck Bass was actually nice to him. Sure, they had a great friendship before, but now that Stryker had been gone for a year, he was sure that Chuck had written him off just like Nate did. Stryker wondered if there was a reason Chuck had been so nice. Maybe the Upper East Side's resident bad boy had something up those purple Kiton sleeves. Chuck was one for revenge.

Stryker shook his head. He was being paranoid. Chuck was being nice and sincere. Stryker should just accept that and try not to overanalyze things. He opened the door to his favorite coffee shop. The sweet aroma flowed into his lungs as he scanned the room for Jenny. In far left corner, he saw the beautiful blonde sitting on a plush sofa, flipping casually though a magazine. Stryker smirked as he walked up to her. She was being unintentionally sexy and he loved it. He walked up to her and planted a kiss on her cheek. She looked up, a little surprised and then smiled when she made eye contact with him. "I am so sorry about that." He apologized. He knew that little surprise kiss would melt any hostility Jenny may have had for him.

Jenny closed the magazine, the smile never left her petite face. "It's fine." She watched Stryker put his arm on the back of the sofa. "What did he want anyway?"

"I guess he heard I was back in town and wanted to see it for himself." Stryker looked around. "Have you ordered yet?"

"No, no. I wanted to wait for you." Jenny smiled.

Stryker glanced around the coffee shop. Just across the room, he noticed a waitress cleaning off a table. He looked up at him and he signaled her to come over. Dropping the rag in her hand, she approached them. "Hi, um, I'll have a cappuccino and…" He glanced at Jenny.

"The same, please." Jenny answered.

"Put it on the Waldorf tab, please." He said as the waitress walked away from the duo. He looked over at Jenny. "I'm sorry, where were we?"

"We were talking about Chuck." Jenny reminded him.

"Right, right." Stryker nodded. "Let's talk about something else. Chuck Bass isn't really my favorite topic."

"Ok, may I ask you a question?" Jenny inquired. Stryker answered her with a nod. "Why do you go to a boarding school in California? Blair lives here and goes to Constance. Why don't you go to St. Jude's?"

Stryker looked away from Jenny and grimaced. Sure, he liked Jenny, but he wasn't sure if he wanted to get into his past with her just yet. Stryker let out a breath of air. She was bound to find out eventually. Gossip traveled quickly on the Upper East Side. It was better that she found out from him rather than someone else. "About a year ago, I got into some trouble…" He started. He glanced at Jenny. She kept her gaze on him. She looked curious. "I was sent away to California."

"Why were you sent away?" Jenny asked as the waitress walked over with the cappuccinos that they had ordered. "Thank you." She smiled as the woman placed the drinks on the table in front of them.

Stryker nodded to the waitress and sipped his drink. He needed a moment to think about exactly what he was going to say. The last thing he wanted to do was scary Jenny away. He sighed. "You know Nate cheated on my sister, right?" Jenny nodded. "The morning after the wedding, the Sheppard's hosted a brunch. Everyone was there. My family, the Archibalds and even Chuck. Serena was noticeably absent. I, uh, overheard Nate telling Chuck about his night with Serena. He was bragging." Stryker closed his eyes and tried to compose himself. He could feel his temper flaring. "I lost it. No one treats my sister like that. He claimed to love her, but he went behind her back and slept with her best friend. What kind of a man does that?" He glanced over at Jenny. She looked intrigued by his story. "So, in order to defend my family's pride… my sister's pride, I confronted him. Things quickly escalated and confrontation turning into yelling. He pushed me into a table. Thinking that he was going to attack me again, I acted on my instincts and grabbed the closest weapon I could. Unfortunately, that weapon was a knife. I threatened him with it." He looked away from Jenny and set his coffee on the table. "My parents struck a deal with the Archibalds. If I was sent away, they wouldn't press charges. My Mom sent me to a half a dozen therapists to see if I was mentally ill. I'm not, I assure you. I guess Eleanor thought that mental illness would be easier to explain to her socialite friends than saying that she had no idea what got into me." Stryker let out a pathetic laugh.

"You didn't tell anyone what you heard?" Jenny asked and sipped from her coffee.

Stryker shook his head. "Not even my sister."

"Do you regret not telling anyone?" Jenny asked.

Stryker answered with a nod. "Every day. My sister hated me for a year. I could have avoided that if I had just told her what I heard." He looked into blue eyes. "Nate and Chuck used to be my best friends. I sort of miss having them around, too." He hated to admit that, but it was completely true.

"Chuck Bass?" Jenny's eyes widened. "You were best friends with _him_?" She looked disgusted.

Stryker laughed. "Does this surprise you or something?"

"Well, Nate I can see, but Chuck?" She looked into his chocolate brown eyes. "You guys are just so different."

"We're more alike than you think." Stryker mumbled and took another sip of his coffee.

"Impossible." She shook her head and mumbled.

Stryker grinned. She was so cute and innocent. She knew hardly anything about him. He loved that about her. "Jenny?"

She set her coffee on the table and turned to him. She looked into his brooding brown eyes. "Yes?" Stryker bit his lower lip as he contemplated his next move. He didn't want to scare her away, but he couldn't help himself. After kissing her cheek, he wanted more. He looked into her blue eyes and leaned into her. He brushed his lips against hers. She closed her eyes and leaned towards him. She was starting to get into it. Stryker placed a hand on her cheek and deepened the kiss. He tapped his tongue with hers and began to pull away, kissing her lips one last time before he did. "Wow." She whispered.

"Was that ok?" Stryker asked. Rarely did he allow his hormones control him. But, he was happy that he had listened to them this time.

"Mmhmm." Jenny nodded. She was all smiles. Stryker returned her smile and leaned in again. He pecked her lips. When he pulled away, she looked euphoric. "Excuse me for just a moment?"

"Of course." Stryker nodded and watched her stand. She turned and walked towards the bathroom. Once Jenny was out of sight, Stryker leaned back on the couch. He closed his eyes. He really did like Jenny. She was unlike any girl he had ever been with before.

"Stryker Waldorf?" He turned when he heard a feminine voice say his name. To his utter surprise, his ex girlfriend and one of Blair's minions, Penelope Shafai was standing over him. She looked equally surprised to see him. "What are you doing in New York?"

"I… uh, I had some time off from school." Stryker lied. He was getting better at lying to people he loved. He wasn't sure if that was a good thing or not. Penelope pursed her lips. Stryker could tell she was upset. She was one of the many people who were shocked by his sudden departure. "El…" He called her by the nickname he had given her as he stood up. "I'm really sorry." He reached out for her hand.

Penelope pulled away and a single tear rolled down her cheek. "You broke my heart, Stryker. You left and you didn't say goodbye."

"But, I'm back now." Stryker tried. He cocked his head to one side and forced the sweetest smile he could. He reached for her hands again. "Please, let me explain everything to you." He hoped Jenny wouldn't come out of the bathroom before Penelope left.

"Are you going to stay?" Penelope asked. This time, she let him hold onto her hands.

"I can't." Stryker shook his head. As soon as his mess was cleaned up in California, he would be back there. He knew Eleanor wouldn't want him to stay.

"I have to meet Nelly, Isabel and Hazel at Bendels." Penelope said. Stryker tried not to show his relief. "Drinks? Tonight at Butter?"

"Our usual time." Stryker affirmed. "My number is still the same. Text me." Penelope nodded and released Stryker's hands. She walked away from him. He watched her look back at him one more time before walking out the door and down the street. He sighed in relief and dropped back on the couch. He was happy that Jenny hadn't come out of the bathroom before she left.

"I am so sorry." Jenny apologized and sat down on the couch next to him. "There was one stall and three women waiting to pee." She shook her head and took her coffee mug in her hand.

"I missed you." Stryker said. He watched Jenny's cheeks flush. He loved that he had that affect on her. "Now, where were we?"

"We were talking about Chuck before you…" Jenny's cheeks flushed. "Kissed me."

"Chuck, right." Stryker nodded. "Enough about him. He's in the past. Tell me more about you. Do you like being my sister's bitch?"

Jenny let out a laugh and ran her finger over the rim of the coffee mug. "I don't really think of myself as her bitch." Jenny looked up at him. "I like Blair."

"Oh, so you're a masochist." Stryker nodded. He smirked when she met his gaze.

"Ha ha." Jenny teased shook her head. "You seemed pretty defensive about Blair just a minute ago. You _did_ defend her honor."

Stryker nodded. Jenny was smart. She caught him. "You're right. I really do love Blair. She's my twin. She's part of me."

Jenny sipped her coffee and looked Stryker up and down. She placed the oversized mug on the table and looked into his chocolate eyes. "You know, it's been said that twins are lovers who committed suicide."

Stryker let out a small laugh. He had never heard anything like that before. "Yeah, I love Blair… but, that's just weird." He laughed a little harder causing Jenny to let out a giggle. Stryker reached into his pocket when he felt it vibrate. It was a text from Penelope. She was incredibly predictable to him. He had her right where he wanted her. He was looking forward to seeing her, too, but he wasn't about to text her. That came off as needy. Stryker was cooler than that. He exited out of the text message and pocketed the cell phone. It was starting to get a little late and the coffee in his mug was getting cold. He needed to get back to the loft and freshen up before drinks with his ex. "Well, Jenny, I hate to do this, but I am going to have to run." She looked disappointed. "Yeah, dinner with Blair tonight."

Jenny forced a smile. "Ok. I understand." She stood and Stryker followed suit. "Well, thank you for the coffee."

"You are more than welcome. Here, I will walk you to the train." Stryker said as the two exited the coffee shop and stepped onto the busy Manhattan street.


End file.
